Creative Giving is a perfect book for church leaders who have no expertise in the area of planned or creative giving. It is an excellent resource for helping non-experts think about estate planning and stewardship within the mission and ministry of the church. A comprehensive guide, Creative Giving guides church leaders in understanding the transfer of wealth through planned giving. The authors equip church leaders with the tools to develop a creative giving program within the congregation.

Praise for Sacred Days Tom Steagald knows how to write, which is to say he knows how to use his own true voice instead of one he has borrowed for the occasion. He also knows how to read, finding in the Gospels not just the same old stories we have heard all our lives but glimpses of the astonishing treasure to be found in those stories if we have our hearts open as well as our eyes." —Frederick Buechner, author "Christ takes time and thereby redeems time. This is the testimony of the church....

Justice in Everyday Life, a Lay Servant Ministries advanced course, takes an in-depth look at the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church — the church's attempt to speak on contemporary issues with which it is confronted today. The book covers topics such as the following: Natural World, Social Community, Economic Community, Political Community, Biblical Foundations of the Social Principles, and Teaching the Social Principles. It is not only for Lay Servants but is for anyone interes...

Safe Sanctuaries in a Virtual World, the latest addition to the Safe Sanctuaries series, addresses the challenges of ministry that have arisen in the face of rapidly changing technology, sometimes referred to as the digital age. Technology now pervades our lives on almost every level; it is nearly inescapable and, as Melton and Foster point out, easily accessible and increasingly user-friendly and intuitive, streamlining the way we work and interact with one another and the world around us. S...

Life Together in the United Methodist Connection is an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries that gives participants an overview of the structure and organization of The United Methodist Church. The course is arranged in five two-hour sessions with short devotionals at the beginning of each session intended to ground class instruction and discussion in scripture. Life Together in the United Methodist Connection is required for Lay Servants who wish to become certified Lay Speakers and an ...

What beliefs set United Methodists apart from other denominations? How has Methodism changed since its beginning in the 18th century? Living Our United Methodist Beliefs is the Leader's Guide for a course that will help participants better understand United Methodist beliefs and history. It is ideal for a new members class or an adult confirmation class. Use the Leader's Guide with these companion components: Living Our Beliefs: The United Methodist Way by Kenneth L. Carder A Brief Histor...

Convinced that the way we have prepared and trained Sunday school leaders is not achieving the results most churches desire, Carol Krau offers new insight in Keeping in Touch: Christian Formation and Teaching. This book, committed to the vital role that teaching plays in forming Christian disciples, describes the following five critical processes that are important to every teacher and small-group leader: Keeping in touch with God Keeping in touch with God's people Keeping in touch with you...

Convencida de que la forma en que hemos preparado y educado al liderato de la escuela dominical no ofrece los resultados que la mayoría de las Iglesias desean, Carol Krau ofrece una perspectiva nueva en ¡En contacto! La formación cristiana y la enseñanza. Este libro se compromete con el papel vital que la educación juega en la formación de discípulos y discípulas cristianos. El mismo describe los siguientes cinco procesos cruciales para los educadores y las educadoras en el proceso de enseña...

Gen2Gen: Sharing Jesus Across the Generations is a collection of articles on the newest trends and issues that are affecting individuals, families, churches, and communities. Developed by staff at Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church, Gen2Gen will challenge you to create ministries that connect with the youngest to the oldest members of society. Multigenerational congregations are best equipped to connect with diverse groups of people as they share faith in Jesus Christ. As ...

This manual covers topics such as: our call to ministry, leadership development, leading meetings, leading change, and position descriptions. It also includes a list of resources related to mission and ministry and leadership development.